This invention relates to a throttle lever device for an engine, and more particularly to an improvement in a structure including a throttle lever, a lock lever and a lock button which are arranged on an operation grip of a mowing machine, a chain saw or the like.
A conventional mowing machine or a chain saw generally includes an operation grip, which is provided with a throttle lever for controlling rotation of an engine of the mowing machine or chain saw. Thus, when the operation grip is gripped during carrying of the machine or saw, transportation thereof or the like, the throttle lever is pushedly operated or pushed in concurrently, resulting in a blade of the mowing machine or the chain saw being often driven accidentally or unintentionally. In order to eliminate such unintended driving, a lock lever is arranged opposite to the throttle lever, so that the throttle lever is kept from being actuated unless the lock lever is operated.
Also, in the conventional mowing machine or chain saw, it is required to push in the throttle lever to an intermediate position in a movable range to keep it at a half throttling state at the time when the engine is started. For this purpose, a throttle lever device is provided which is so constructed that a lock button is arranged on the throttle lever in a manner to be in proximity to the lock lever. The lock button is adapted to be engaged with the throttle lever kept at the half throttling state, resulting in holding it at the half throttling state.
The operation grip is constructed of two grip members or halves laterally split from each other, which are provided with the throttle lever, the lock lever, the lock button, a spring and the like which constitute a main part of the throttle lever device. Then, the two grip halves are joined together, resulting in the throttle lever device being assembled. Mounting of the above-described members on the two grip halves is carried out in such a manner that one of the grip halves is mounted thereon with the throttle lever and the other grip half is mounted with the lock lever and lock button, followed by joining of the halves to each other.
However, in the prior art, it is required to carry out joining between the two grip halves while keeping the members from being unintendedly removed from the halves. Also, it is required that the members are each provided with a small-sized spring which acts to force or urge the member, to thereby outwardly project it. Thus, the joining is highly troublesome, resulting in requiring a great deal of skill.